Psalms 89:27

“I also will make him firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.”
Psalms 89:27 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

I alsoאַף אָנִיwill make himאֶתְּנֵהוּfirstborn,בְּכוֹרthe highestעֶלְיוֹןof the kingsלְמַלְכֵיof the earth.אָרֶץ

Allusion · Revelation 1:5

Go to Revelation 1:5

Both texts join “firstborn” and “kings of the earth”: in the psalm, God makes David his firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

בְּכוֹרbejorH1060πρωτότοκοςprōtotokosG4416“firstborn”
מַלְכֵיmaljeH4428βασιλέωνbasileōnG935“king”
אָרֶץaretsH776γῆςgēsG1093“earth, land”

Psalms 89:27, word by word

will make himאֶתְּנֵetne

make

To make someone something: "I have made you a father".

Where else “etne” appears

firstbornבְּכוֹרbechor

firstborn

The son who came into the world before his brothers, with a special place in the family.

Where else “bechor” appears

the highestעֶלְיוֹןelyon

Most High, Elyon

"Elyon": the highest, the Most High. It is a title of God: there is no one above him. As an adjective, upper, high.

Where else “elyon” appears

of the kingsמַלְכֵיmalche

king

A king who rules a people.

Where else “malche” appears

of the earthאָרֶץarets

earth

The whole world, everything under the sky.

Where else “arets” appears

Translation note

“The highest”: it is the same Hebrew word (elyon) that, said of God, is left as a name (“Elyon”); here it describes the king in relation to the other kings. Revelation 1:5 takes up this verse.

The context

26He will call to me, ‘You are my father, my El, and the Rock of my salvation.’

27 · This verse (above)

28Forever I will keep for him my loyal love, and my covenant will be firm for him.

Read all of Psalms 89

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